Diamond Freckles
by thecityisours
Summary: AJ Munroe was a young popstar who James had the biggest crush on. Four years later and with her no longer singing, Kendall meets a girl at one of their concerts that he recognises, her sick little sister with her and the same cluster of freckles on her neck that his best friend fell in love with years before. Show!Verse KxOC
1. Chapter 1

**First off a shout out to the lovely SuperSillyStories for not only giving me the help to write again but also making me want to write this!**

* * *

"Miss Munroe, it seems that Keely's fever has decreased and her blood pressure has dropped back down to normal. Her breathing is perfect and it seems that this bought of Pneumonia has cleared completely out of her system for now. Although, as you know, with Keely's condition she is prone to catching this again very soon and I suggest limited activity in large crowds. If you do take her off the premises however, we will supply a wheelchair and a sufficient supply of oxygen for the length of time you plan to keep her outside the hospital grounds just for precautionary measures as well as us receiving the promise of contact if her condition is to show any signs of abnormality,"

Nodding slowly, Avery's hand moved to her long bangs and pushed them behind her ear looking at the dark haired nurse in front of her, her dark eyes scanning over a chart in her hand.

"So she can go to the concert?" Avery asked slowly, raising a perfectly shaped eyebrow at the young nurse who's face was perfectly frames by black glasses perched upon her nose and a small bottle of bright orange of hand sanitizer hanging from her belt loop.

"Your sisters condition seems stable enough so-"

"Kayla, can you be my best friend instead of my sisters nurse for two seconds, it's her fourth birthday and she really wants to see them?" she questioned as her blue eyes bore into that of her friends contrasting dark ones. She watched as she removed the glasses from her face, her eyes moving to the clock above their heads and waited patiently for the bubbly smile to fall upon her perfect complexion.

"Duh! Why do you think I've been working extra shifts recently? Gotta make sure my Keel gets to see her boys," Kayla Stevens', a young nurse in her first interning year at the Los Angles Children's Hospital, voice changed as she stepped out of nurse mode and into her usual self as the clock struck pm. Avery couldn't help but shake her head with a small laugh as she followed her friend down the ward's corridor, smiling towards the children that were scattered around the wing, some walking around, others in need of assistance from either nurses or frames. To Avery, these kids were perfectly normal, they had bright futures ahead of them even though they had obstacles in their paths at that current moment. She knew them as if they were her siblings. This hospital, as much as she hated to say it, was considered a second home to her. The nurses grew to be her friends, the doctors her mentors and the food became bearable.

"Keely's been so excited the last few days I swear she's a new girl. Every night she's been saying that she will be better enough to see her baby Jamie,"

Avery had to roll her eyes as Kayla raised the tone of her voice slightly, a flirty smile on her face as she knocked on the door leading to a private room. She didn't wait for a response as she knew it wouldn't come. Pushing open the door, the bright pink bed spread came into vision, a little girl with blonde braids sitting on the bed with a set of earphones in her small ears, music playing which brought her to life. A large bear was placed between her legs covering the tubes that lead to her nose, connecting her with the compact machine that was kept in a small Big Time Rush backpack that she constantly carried around.

Copying Kayla, Avery moved her hands to the bottle at the end of the bed, squirting the neon green liquid into her palms and rubbing them together. Spotting her big sister, 4 year old Keely Munroe smiled, popping the white buds from her ears and standing on the bed, moving her pack with her and going towards Avery.

"Did she tell you?" her little voice was clear and excited, the smile on her face giving away that she had already been informed she could attend Big Time Rush's homecoming show. Avery's larger hands found her baby sister's and grasped them, watching her sister with a smile as she bounced lightly on the bed in excitement. "I go see Jamie!"

"Kayla told me, yes but you gotta behave. I'm sure James' wouldn't want his biggest fan to have an attack in front of him."

"I won't! I promise," Keely held out her pinkie as the bouncing subsided and waiting for her sister to link hers together.

"Ok, well Kayla is gonna change and then she's gonna get your stuff so you can go. Do you want to change into your special outfit?" Avery asked her sister and her excited nod answered her question. Placing the red and black straps on the small girls shoulders, Avery picked her up gently as Kayla wheeled in the specially equipped wheelchair that would be their prime fashion accessory for the evening. "So we have your shirt and jeans and these shoes?"

"It's hard to believe Aviator that kids used to be like this a few hours before your shows."

"Kayla! Don't call me that," A small pair of red converse flew towards the nurses head, Keely giggling in delight as she watched their playfulness.

"Aviator!"

"Kayla's stupid, huh?" Keely nodded through her laughter as she was placed upon the closed toilet seat, Avery kneeling to remove her pink slippers that were secured upon her small feet. From over her shoulder, she reached for the pink and black Big Time Rush merchandise shirt that Kayla had given Keely for her birthday earlier that day. Looking at the faces on the material of the four boys, made her eyebrows furrow. Tracing a finger over the text that read 'homecoming show', Avery looked up at her sister's face, brightened with excitement as she swung her legs back and forth lightly, removing the hair tie that kept her braid together.

* * *

_3 years previously_

"James, you're gonna pull my arm off, slow down," A young Kendall Knight forcefully removed his arm from his best friends grip and walked slowly behind him along the icy Minnesota walk way on their return from a long day at school.

"We're gonna miss it!" James yelled determined to reach their destination of Kendall's house a few blocks away. Green eyes met brown as Kendall looked to the smaller brunette next to him, nose deep in a thick book, his fingerless gloves tracing over the words not to loose place.

"I don't see why it's so important. We have a test tomorrow, that's important. Important if I want to get into Med school before I turn 30!"

"Logan, you could walk into Med school next week and be accepted," Kendall told his friend before looking back towards James, who was now a good 20 feet in front of them.

"She's announcing something today on MTV. I bet its a tour or a new album, or that she is looking for her perfect guy who just happens to be from Minnesota and has perfect hair." The three boys behind a 17 year old James Diamond rolled their eyes at the exact moment he mentioned his hair. This obsession had been going on since the boys were 13 ever since she popped into the scene with her first single and long blonde hair and the cute cluster of freckles that were on her neck. Shaped like a diamond. Not that Kendall noticed these things before James however, he had listened to James list how perfect this upcoming pop star was to him and how they would make the perfect couple and would be married later in life with a big house and perfect children. It didn't take long before James was madly in love with her even though, in reality, there was no chance of him coming within 10 feet of her. She was his first celebrity crush and he had fallen hard. More into hockey at the time, Logan, Kendall and Carlos just let James be but were always dragged into his crazy obsession after hockey practices.

"Come on, dude! It's started," James screeched frantically as he watched Kendall search for his keys in his backpack, his eyes darting through the living room window at the TV as if it would magically turn on and she would pop up on the screen.

"I'm trying!" Kendall snapped back as he threw a book into James' arms, his hand submerged to the bottom of his school bag before he felt the familiar shape of his keys. "Here."

Before he could move them to the lock, the book that he had given to James fell upon his foot as the brunette pushed his way through the door having snatched the keys and unlocked it before Kendall could even realize what was happening.

A look of pain quickly fell upon Kendall's face as Carlos moved passed and into the warm Knight household.

"You dropped your book, man," Logan said simply, shoving the book into Kendall's chest on his walk passed, following Carlos and James into the living room, dropping his bag upon there's in the hallway before.

A cloud of air left his mouth as he let out a deep breath into the cold air, yanking his keys from the lock and slamming the heavy door behind him. Kendall took his time removing his jacket and beanie and placing them, neatly, onto the pegs that were placed by the door. Kicking the bags of his fiends into the corner, he stepped over one of Katie's latest projects before falling onto the old couch in the middle of the room, the TV on and a blonde sat with a microphone to her mouth.

"And that's my announcement, bye guys!" Her smile was small and weak, almost forced as the TV cut back to a very tanned Ryan Seacrest standing in his studio.

"WHAT!? What was it?" James froze in the middle of the room, turning slowly on his heel to look at Kendall who simply raised his thick eyebrow. "You made me miss it!"

"So? She was probably promoting a new perfume or something stupid and girly like that, why do you care?" Running a hand through his blonde locks, Kendall simply watched his friend raise his middle finger towards him before he turned back towards the television.

"Well there you have it guys and dolls. For those who missed it, pop sensation AJ Munroe has announced that her newly released album is her last and her studio time is over at the tender age of 16. With a string of hits, Gustavo Rocque's first signing as a producer as said she is ready to hang up her microphone and help out of her family in a tying time. Who will be our next music sensation?"

"What!" Rolling his eyes, Kendall nudged Carlos who simply nodded, placing his black helmet upon his head and tapping it twice before he prepared himself for the lunging James that flew towards Kendall. In a fluster, they fell to the floor as the Latino held back the taller boy trying to reach for the blonde on the couch.

* * *

"Will you ever sing again AJ?" In the midst of tying her laces, Avery looked up at her sister who was now dressed in her Big Time Rush t-shirt. "Mommy has tapes and she brings them in of you singing for me to watch when I don't feel well. You're good!"

Avery smiled at her baby sister before lifting her up again, placing her on her hip and turning her head to her. She simply shrugged her shoulders as she let Keely play with her long hair. "I sing to you at bedtime don't I?"

"Not like that! On a stage, like Jamie." Keely pointed to the hazel eyed boy on her t-shirt and looked back at her sister. "You could sing together!"

With a gentle laugh, Avery walked back into the hospital room and placed the small girl into the wheelchair, placing the safety belt around her waist as a newly changed Kayla re-entered, three tickets in hand.

"Probably not gonna happen Keely Cakes," Avery told her little sister as she tapped her index finger against her nose. "You're my priority now,"

"Come on you two! We're gonna be late." Avery turned to her best friend and raised an eyebrow, something she done often and soon became her signature facial expression in Kayla's mind. Standing up, Avery pulled her hair from its bun and let it float against her shoulders before stepping behind the wheelchair and pushing her sister out of her room into the corridor, towards the elevators at the end.

For one night, Avery James Munroe was going to let her little sister see her favourite band for her birthday. Let her forget about being sick, the hospital walls, the medicine and just enjoy being 4 and having a huge crush on a singer in a boy band. She wanted her to feel normal and have a good time even if she knew where she'd be coming back to for treatment the next morning.

She was going to see Big Time Rush with her baby sister and best friend and at that moment, that's all that mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

In the last three years of Kendall's career in Big Time Rush, he would never thought that he would be glad a tour was finally over. The last few shows before returning back to LA were the worst. The fans were perfect but it was the small things. In Arizona, his inner ear failed to work and he felt he ruined the entire show. After apologizing hundreds of times to the fans and heading back to the buses, Carlos decided to stop walking suddenly and Kendall fell into him, sending them both into a tumbling heap, breaking the neck of Kendall's guitar in half. New Mexico brought a bout of food poisoning to both Logan and James and they had to cancel the show even though Carlos insisted that he could do the show by himself. Finally, in Las Vegas, the lights decided to die just before they went on. They managed to find torches and go through with the show until the lights finally came back on just before the second to last song. They decided to play an extra few songs for that show and with Carlos offering to fix Kendall's guitar, with tape and rubber bangs, it was out of tune the majority of the time.

Sitting backstage, a bottle of water in hand, Kendall watched as Carlos and James ran around frantically with blue and green light sabers yelling occasionally about saving the empire and finding Voldemort. Two completely different movies but Kendall kept quiet to stop any arguments starting, he really wasn't in the mood for them to start fighting.

"Kendall," With the clatter of her heels, Kelly was soon at Kendall's side, his guitar in hand. "We got it fixed, your inner ears are connected and we took the M&M's away from Carlos. This show will go smoothly."

The blonde couldn't help but laugh as he took the guitar and tested the chords. Kelly was probably stressing even more than he was about the tour ending and getting a much needed break. Summer tours, as much as he loved them, felt like they went on forever. He missed the Palm Woods, he missed his own bed. Hell, he even missed Bitters.

"Thanks Kelly."

"Carlos! James, stop!" Before he could ask her anything else, Kelly was running in the direction of his two band mates, now on top of two wardrobe transporters, threatening to fall and send the two boys with them.

"Dogs!" The thundering voice of Gustavo instantly made Carlos and James pause their antics and jump from their positions on top of the transporters. Kendall turned just in time for Logan to jump in fright, sending his text book to the floor as he stood almost like solider at attention for Gustavo. "This show is our last one for this tour and may be you're last one EVER! You dogs need to make sure this goes smoothly, kids from the LA Children's Hospital are in the audience tonight, not that I care and they need to be entertained or you dogs won't see your 3 month break! Instead the studio and high energy dance routines will take up your time."

"But, I'm going to the beach and…"

"I don't care!" Gustavo yelled towards Carlos who was on the verge of explaining his plans. A chubby finger was soon pointed towards Logan and James, signaling them to go one way and Kendall and Carlos the other. "Stage! Now."

* * *

For the most part, the show was going smoothly, apart from James dropping his microphone mid dance routine. For Avery in the audience, she watched her sister's face light up at each song and listened as she sang along. Instrumental music was being played by the band as a video was played on the big screen while the boys had disappeared back stage, probably for a quick change. Avery nudged Kayla saying she'd be back in a minute before heading out of the main arena in the hunt for a bathroom.

"You having a good time, Keely?" Kayla turned to the 4 year old and smiled as she nodded excitedly. The lights were soon back up and four figure appeared on stage, spot lights on each boy as the blonde on the far right raised his microphone to his mouth.

"Who's having fun?" Kendall said into the microphone as he made his way down the stage, smiling widely as the crowd replied in chants and screams. "Since its our last show and we're nearly at the end, we're gonna mix it up a little during Worldwide. These guys will go choose the lucky ladies while I head over here,"

The crowd erupted as the boys spit up, girls screaming loudly. Kayla watched Keely's eyes follow the boys, she probably knew she wouldn't get chosen due to being in her wheelchair. She was happy where she was.

"I heard we have some special guests in the audience tonight from the LA Children's Hospital and if you've heard the stories of my baby sisters antics, I've spent my fair share of time there with her and Carlos."

"Hey!" Carlos, on the other side of the arena perked up at the sound of his name. "We just moved here, I was trying to jump over the pool. I was still young enough to go there."

"Whatever you say Carlitos." Logan piped up from his position, a young girl in tow as he lead her back to the stage, offering her one of the black stools as he watched his band mates.

"Anyway," Kendall continued, dragging out the syllables as he continued to the raised seating, a bulky security guard behind him. "Switching it up, I'll be sitting here next to this cutie!"

Kendall bound up the ramp way and placed himself in what was Avery's now empty seat, next to Kayla. "What's your name pretty girl?"

At this moment, a usually confident Keely went shy, her cheeks turning red slightly as Kendall raid an eyebrow with a gentle smile. Kayla couldn't hep but sneak a quick picture of them both, knowing an ever pessimistic and slow in returning Avery, wouldn't believe it had actually happened without photographic evidence. Spotting her shyness, Kendall moved the microphone away and tapped his ear lightly, signaling for her to whisper it to him. Leaning in, Keely told him her name just as Avery walked around the stand, her hair now in a high ponytail due to the heat of the arena. Gazing up at the stage, Avery noticed that the camera's where on her sister and Kendall, letting everybody in the audience watch what was going on.

_Keely will kill me if I try to get back to my seat…._

With the want to make it through the car ride back to the hospital, Avery simply leant against the metal barrier that acted as a hand rail down to the lower stage. As the song began, Kayla turned and noticed her friend and smiled, nodding her head towards the pair, Keely's hand in Kendall's as James sang on stage. Noticing the hand gestures that Kayla was sending towards Avery, Kendall turned his head to see what the commotion was that was moving the small aisle of seats. Following the brunette's gaze, he spotted a girl shaking her head, her long hair swaying back and forth lightly. He frowned and watched, singing his parts almost mechanically as the girl who was shaking her head, moved for one of the security guards needing to go into the lower tier. She shifted and that was when he spotted it.

The small cluster of freckles that were shaped like a diamond.

* * *

This chapter is insanely short, I know but I have a good reason. I have no idea what a BTR concerts like since Scotland seems to repel all bands, especially Edinburgh where I'm from. I wanted to keep it pretty short mainly because I'm sure you wouldn't want to read 'and then they sang halfway there. and then they sang boyfriend. AND THEN..." you get the jist?

I see you 3 people following this story and thank you! Let me know what you think and if you have any constructive words of advice.

Next chapter is super long and I'm still writing! Promise (:


	3. Chapter 3

Okay! So I had to cut it in half because of how long it was getting. Next chapter is the Kendall/Avery meeting with Carlos... ENJOY!

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The radio was loud in the empty cafe, a single identity in the large area. The clock centred in the middle of the room had barely hit 6 when Avery pushed through the kitchen doors, a tray filled with mugs and cutlery in her arms. It dawned upon her that her life was completely different now. Being in the audience of a concert for the first time in years had brought all the memories all back. From signing with Gustavo, moving to LA, her first time in a studio, her last. It used to be her on the stage with adrenaline rushing through her as she sang the latest songs that had been invented in her mind. She loved it.

Her mom, who was 16 when she had Avery, had given everything up to see her daughter succeed and now Avery was trying to repay her mom for the years she had given up for her. Repaying her for moving out to LA and coping with long hours, long flights, long rehearsals. Her step dad had moved with them from New York. Her real dad for all she knew wasn't even alive. The two memories she has of her biological father are kept in pictures. The first, a picture of when she was first born and still in hospital. The second, a picture of her dad with her the next day. Avery or her mom never saw him again. In her opinion, good riddance. It took her mom 9 years to trust a man again and when she did, she met a good one. Greg Munroe came into her life and became the father figure she yearned for. He adopted her legally when she was 10 and married her mom soon after. He followed them to LA, bringing his catering experience to California and opening the cafe she stood in that moment.

It was a popular place for an LA business, businessmen would come in and out before and after work for coffee. People would come for lunch, snacks or even just to use the wifi but it had a different feel to the 10 or so Starbucks that were down the street.

"Avaitor!" The door swung open behind her and in strode a chirpy Kayla, nurses uniform donned, sunglasses shielding her eyes from the bright LA morning sun. Her entry sent Avery into the air with fright, dropping a mug into the cutlery drawer that she had just finished filling. Clutching her chest, the brunette turned to her best friend sharply just as she whipped her glasses off and placed them in her long dark hair.

"Kayla! Are you trying to kill me?" she pondered her cheeks still pale with the sudden entry. Her eyes followed the nurse as she walked behind the counter, grabbed the stray mug and began filling it with black coffee, freshly brewed and sitting ready for customers.

"No but if I was, at least I know CPR." her eyes sparkled as she looked over the steaming mug before placing her glossed lips against the surface, the dark liquid entering her system. Avery stood there frozen, amazed at how awake she was before rolling her ice blue eyes.

"How can you possibly be so awake? We got back at 1 in the morning and you were dead to the world when I left a half hour ago." Avery and Kayla lived together in a loft apartment not far from the cafe and in walking distance of the hospital. Avery was always up and around before Kayla had hit the snooze button on her alarm clock for the first time.

"I've had two cups of coffee since leaving the apartment and I'm a morning person?" she queried placing the black mug onto the counter and leaning her hip against the marble, taking her pick of a freshly baked muffin that lay on the counter, cooling in a tray.

"You're a freak and that," she pointed to the coffee and the now bitten muffin in her hands. "Three fifty."

"What? I paid for gas last night!" Kayla called as Avery pushed her way through the swinging doors back into the kitchen.

"No, you didn't!" she replied leaving Kayla in thought before she remembered the quick stop to the gas station after leaving the hospital. Turns out Kayla had, amazingly, forgotten her wallet in her locker at work and left Avery dishing out $40. Moments later, Avery returned with a second tray of muffins in hand ready for the morning commute to work. Ushering Kayla out the way, she placed the hot tray onto the cooling rack before turning to her friend.

"What?" she asked seeing the devious grin perched upon Kayla's lips. She shrugged taking a sip of her coffee again before earning a glare from the petite brunette in front of her.

"Nothing," she told simply as the door opened again, this time a small woman similar to Avery walking in, fresh cartons of milk laden in a cardboard box in her arms.

"Morning girls," Katherine Munroe, or Kate as she preferred, greeted the girls, Kayla perking up at the sound of the older woman's voice.

"Kate, you're daughter had an encounter with a pop star last night and he had that 'I want to jump on you' look."

"Kayla!" Avery's hand collided with Kayla's bare arm, earning her a loud shriek.

"What! It's true. He did. I was two feet away from him and he was practically drooling." Kate couldn't help but laugh as Avery slapped her friend playfully again in the same place, leaving a red mark upon her tanned skin.

"Did Keely enjoy the show?" Changing the subject with a look of thanks from Avery, Kate moved the conversation onto her youngest daughter.

"She loved it, mom. We dropped her off and she was asleep but before she dozed off, all she was doing was singing Worldwide." Avery explained, looking at her mom with a gentle smile.

"Cause her future brother in law sang it to her." Kayla muttered under her breath, which didn't go unnoticed by Avery.

"I will slap you again."

"No you won't." Kayla said confidently tossing the last piece of the muffin into her mouth. It took her a second to swallow the moist cake before Avery's hand collided with her arm again. "I think I'm going to go now, I don't need to put up with this abuse!"

Watching as Kayla left the shop with a dramatic wave, Avery shook her head and accepted her mother's kiss on the cheek and a proper good morning before she was asked where her father was. She motioned to the kitchen before placing the muffins into the glass case that held the rest of the food.

* * *

"Okay, breakfast is done, medication given and Kyle in room 304 threw up again but it's your turn," Leaning across the nurses station, Kayla smiled at the male nurse sitting at the computer. He placed the files he was inputting down and headed to the room she had mentioned. Replacing him in the chair at the computer, Kayla grabbed her bottle of water from the back of the desk and took a long sip. She had been here three hours and already felt the need to sleep. The coffee was defiantly wearing off from earlier and the night before was catching up with her.

"Excuse me," A gruff voice made Kayla jump, her water catching in her throat. Looking up a blonde haired boy stood in front of her, a cap on his head and a pair of ray bans covering his eyes. Her dark eyes widened as she focuses on the male in front of her, his hand moving to his face and removing his glasses, revealing the green eyes that lay beneath them. It was then that she released that she had forgot to breath and let out a chorus of coughs from her water going down the wrong way. Clutching the wooden table, she patted her chest with one hand and held a single digit towards the boy motioning she wouldn't be a minute. As she caught her breath, Kayla downed a quick sip of her water before standing up, her finger now pointing at his chest.

"You're Kendall Knight," she stated, his eyebrows raising as if she had just stated the complete obvious.

"And you're…" He looked down at her badge that was placed on her chest quickly before back up. "Kayla Stevens, Nurse."

She found herself looking down at her badge herself as if to remind her who she was and if he was telling the truth. Amazingly enough, on the plastic was her name and occupation.

"Yes." she said simply watching as the corner of his mouth raised in a half smile. She shook her head, realising he may be there for an actual medical reason and snapped back into nursing mode. "Um can I help you? are you sick? injured?"

He shook his head quickly, removing his hat as he felt impolite and tucking it into his back pocket on his dark jeans.

"No, no." he replied, rubbing his neck nervously. "Shit, even Carlos said I would sound crazy,"

"Sugar," she said randomly, making his eyes snap up in confusion. He watched as she nodded to the child that was walking down the hallway with her nurse and he realised what he had let slip from his mouth. He grimaced, mouthing sorry to the nurse watching past and then turned back to the brunette behind the desk.

"Right, sugar." he nodded now very aware of his words. "This is gonna sound crazy but I swear I'm not. You were at the Big Time Rush concert last night, right?"

Kayla nodded, the look in her eyes urging him to continue.

"Beside a girl named Keely? I sang with her," Kayla nodded again. Alarm bells were now going off in Kendall's mind. He hadn't thought of what he would say if she was actually the girl he had sat next to. He was quiet for longer than he expected as her eyes grew worried.

"Are you okay? You kinda look pale." To Kayla it looked as if he could pass out there and then. She moved the wheeled chair around the desk and motioned for him to sit. His feet took him over to the seat and he was soon sitting down, his mind catching up with reality.

"I'm fine." he said standing up quickly, turning on his heel to her. "There was a girl um, across from us beside a security guard. You were waving at her…."

"You mean Avery?" Kayla's voice perked up as she put two and two together finally as she remembered trying to wave Avery over to their seats. "Keely's sister."

"Kendall, come on! I'm bored and really hungry," Out of no-where, a smaller, darker skinned boy came to Kendall's side, tugging on the sleeve of his button down plaid shirt. "I haven't eaten in an hour!"

"Carlos, shut up,"

"Come on! You said this would take a minute, its been five!" The smaller boy with the helmet placed filmy on his head crossed his arms across his chest as if he were one of the kids on the ward. Bemused, Kayla stood watching the two males interact before stepping in.

"Do you guys need a minute?" she wondered with a raise of an eyebrow. Both boys turned quickly, replying at the same time.

"No!"

"Yes!"

Kayla looked between the dark haired one and the blonde rapidly, her eyes full of confusion before turning back to Kendall.

"Avery works at Munroe's Cafe 4 blocks down from here. She's there until 1." She told him her attention drifting as her eyes moved back to Carlos for a second who was staring at her with his mouth agape.

"Thank you!" Kendall expressed relief as he let his shoulders slump as the anxiety of asking left him. Walking down the corridor after bidding her goodbye, he got to the elevators before he heard a voice call upon him from behind.

"You forgot something!"

Turning on his heel, he noticed Carlos still standing at the nurses station, frozen in spot as Kayla pointed towards him for Kendall to notice what he had left. He felt himself marching down the white corridor quickly, grabbing Carlos by the arm and dragging him out of the hospital


	4. Chapter 4

_almost 21 years ago…._

"My baby has a baby, this shouldn't be happening. I'm far too young!" His hair was greying yet his eyes were still young and sparkling as he held his day old granddaughter in his arms, a smile burning on his complexion.

"I still say he will run." Another voice chirped up from the side of the hospital bed, her perfectly shaped eyebrows knit together as her young daughter turned to her.

"Mom! He said he'd be here for us, he will." Kate James almost felt like she had said the same thing over 20 times in the short time her parents had been in her presence. "He promised."

"I don't trust him, Kate. With you or Avery, which I still think is a silly name."

"Marie, leave her be. Kat, I think it's a lovely name." Always the peace maker between the two ladies in his life, the only man in the room managed to hush both females as the baby girl stirred in his arms, her small arms moving. "I think someones fussy,"

Smiling gratefully at her father, Kate held her arms out as he passed the small infant to her mother. The love in her eyes grew as the little girl was in her arms once more. Kate was scared to say the least. She was 16 and her first time with someone she loved turned into mayhem. She found out she was pregnant and her already strict mother almost turned their house upside down in an argument. She loved her mom but she knew where she was coming from. Eventually Marie James warmed to the fact of a new life in her family but she hated with great passion the father of such an innocent baby.

With the outcome of an easy birth, Kate and baby Avery were being discharged in a matter of hours. All they were doing now was waiting on Jake, Kate's boyfriend. He had left earlier that day promising a return but the hours slowly ticked away, the day grew darker but she insisted on waiting for him. Stubborn and fearing for the baby that lay quietly asleep in a car seat resting on the bed with her mother watching over her.

"Baby, I don't think he's coming." Nick James walked slowly over to his daughter as she stood at the small window in the starch white room. He placed a gentle hand on his frail little girls arm and waited for her to turn slowly. She nodded, resting her forehead on her dad's chest as he wrapped his welcoming arms around her. With a look to his wife, Nick led his daughter out of the room, Marie following with the car seat and a bag over her shoulder. With his arm around his daughters shoulder the entire time, Nick led the girls to the car that was parked out front and drove them back to the family home.

The journey through the bustling New York City streets at the time when businesses were closing for the night took longer than expected. The entire time Kate sat in the back seat with her little girl, stroking her small hands gently with her index finger and rocking the seat slowly if she grew fussy. She put on a brave face as her mom went on an angry rant about Jake and how she knew he would ditch them both when the first opportunity came into his reach. Nobody noticed the small tears escape the corner of her eyes except the unknowing baby in front of her who didn't even know what tears were yet even though she had let a few loose herself with wailing screams.

Reaching into her bag that lay at her feet, Kate found her wallet and fished the two freshly developed Polaroids out of the compartment she had tucked them in earlier that day. Both were of Jake holding Avery, a smile on his face as he looked up at the camera. It wasn't until she looked at them now that she saw the uncertainty in his eyes, the almost statue like pose that he sat in, holding the baby as awkwardly as anyone could possibly.

* * *

"Mom," Her small voice brought Kate back to reality as she realised that the mug in front of her was now over flowing with cold water. She had been standing over the sink so long that she hadn't even realised the water had ran cold, the suds had washed away and 10 minutes had past. Luckily for her she was in the kitchen and not in front of customers. The lunch time rush was in full swing and thankfully the second waitress had arrived for her shift meaning that Avery could check on her very quiet mom. She found her in the position she was in and frowned slightly, it wasn't like her mom to space out at work. She was usually on point with everything that was happening in the cafe.

"Are you okay?" Kate asked quickly as she turned to her daughter, the mug slipping into the water and making them both jump.

"I could ask you the same thing," Avery said with a gentle laugh as she turned the faucet off and handed her mom a cloth, water having splashed onto her shirt.

"I'm fine, I'm fine." she said with a nod, wiping down her blue top and then the counter. "Just thinking about the day you were born,"

Avery couldn't help but frown further, tilting her head to the side slightly. "Are you turning all mushy on me?"

It was Kate's turn to laugh as she lent her hip against the counter. "No, it just came to mind."

"Alright," Avery said scaling her word out longer than usual. "We need you out front, we have no idea how to work the fancy coffee machine and someone wants a 'perfect coffee' since Grace's attempt wasn't good enough."

Rolling her icy blue eyes identical to her daughters, Kate tossed the now dirty cloth into a basket in the corner and followed her daughter out of the kitchen and into the front of the cafe. She immediately noticed the man making a fuss over a coffee. He worked a block down and was extremely picky. If his milk was too cold, he would notice.

"Colin, is there a problem?" Avery left her mom with the confrontation that was about to happen with the customer who was so regular, she wondered why he bothered to come back if the coffee that her or the other waitress, Grace made was so bad. Her eyes turned to the clock on the wall and was thankful when she saw the second hand it twelve. Only an hour left and she could head to the hospital to see Keely.

"Excuse me," an eager yet almost annoyed voice caught her attention from a booth at the window and she turned to see two very familiar faces. The smaller boy continued as the blonde on the opposite side placed a hand to his forehead. "Were you at a concert last night with a little girl in a wheelchair who had a shirt on that was red and black and was sitting next to this amazingly beautiful girl with long brown hair and dark chocolate type eyes that could easily be a model for any company in the world that my friend here, who is too stupid to ask, sang a song called Worldwide to her?"

"Carlos," Avery's eyes followed the angry mutter and her eyes landed on the blonde with the hand to his forehead. From what she had caught from the Latino boys quick description, she guessed her was talking about Kayla. Avery turned her attention back to him just as he removed the black ray bans from his eyes and a hopeful little face emerged from behind them. Carlos Garcia sat in front of her in her parents cafe asking her if she was at their concert last night. And admitting he had a serious crush on her best friend.

"Um yeah, I was and he," she nodded her head towards Kendall who's ears had perked up and had removed his hand from his face. "Sang to my sister. How do you know I work here?"

"You're friend told us," Kendall told her before Carlos could start talking again. Instead he made his way to the counter to finally get the food he had been complaining about for the past two hours. "We're not some weird stalkers, well Carlos might be but I'm not! I'm Kendall,"

He held his hand out politely and felt his breathing stop as he watched her simply stare at his outstretched hand for a few seconds before placing her order book in the other hand.

"Avery," she said cautiously, shaking his hand lightly. Her hand fit in his larger one perfectly and she could feel the rough skin of his finger tips graze against hers as their hands dropped back to their sides. Awkwardly, she looked around before back at the green eyed singer sat in front of her. "Why are you here?"

Interrupted again before he could explain himself, Carlos moaned in pleasure as he shovelled a large chunk of a slice of cake into his mouth with a silver fork. "Dude! This cake. It's better than your moms."

"Carlos," Kendall sneered at his friend as his cheeks turned a subtle shade of red. Carlos looked up from the plate, his jaws moving firmly as he chewed the luxurious chocolate cake in his hand.

"You want some?" he asked, mouth full while he held the plate out towards Kendall who simply slanted his eyes in a almost death like stare. Sinking into his chair with a sad expression on his face, Carlos continued to eat the slice of cake as the door swung open again, thundering against the glass that was behind Kendall making him jump out of the black lined chair.

"Oh crap, I'm too late," An out of breath Kayla placed a hand on her side, clutching her ribs as she got the five words from her mouth.

"Well this is going well." Kendall announced sarcastically standing up and pushing the circular black sun glasses over his eyes once more. "Come on Carlos,"

"I'm not finished!"

"Now," the taller of the two walked out of the cafe without letting either of the girls utter another word. In sync, Kayla and Avery watched as Carlos followed like a scolded puppy with his tail between his legs. Two very confused girls stood in place as the door fell shut again. Avery's perfectly shaped eyebrows fell into a furrow, opening her mouth to speak but found nothing coming out.

"What the fuck just happened?" Kayla muttered immediately feeling Avery's hand colliding with her for swearing in the cafe. "Go after him!"

Kayla turned to her friend with a wide eyed expression, raising her hands in aggravation when she continued to stand there. She groaned and pulled Avery from the cafe onto the street, turning each way to find Kendall and Carlos walking along one side of the street back towards the hospital.

"He totally has a crush on you. He came all the way to the hospital remembering you from last night and asked where you worked! What guy does that?"

"A creepy one?" Avery replied cautiously.

"No!" Kayla screeched. "One who felt something when he saw you last night. He's nervous, he stuttered, he could hardly look at you. Are you seriously that blind that you can't see how nervous you make him feel?"

"I could say the same about you and Carlos…"

"I don't matter right now!" Kayla urged, turning the smaller girl in the direction of the boys, ignoring her comment about Carlos completely. "If you don't go after him and hear him out, I will drag you along this street by the laces of your dirty ass converse and make you."

Avery stood in silence watching the two figures walk further into the distance, their silhouettes becoming smaller and smaller. How did she know this wasn't just a stupid joke between two guys. Two pig headed guys like her previous, and only, two boyfriends.

"Avery, go." Kayla's tone turned gentle and soft as she gave Avery a gentle push.

She found herself moving, her mind having no control over the movement of her feet. It was like they had a life of their own as they sped up and dodged in between people on the street without her even thinking of it. Thank god they were walking otherwise, even at a run, she wouldn't have caught up with them.

"Hey!" A stoplight brought her run to a halt just as they were on the other side of the street. She pushed the button furiously as if it would make it turn red faster. The pair didn't hear her, they kept walking as the traffic flew past her. Avery was starting to doubt herself. This was nothing like her. Her experience with boys in the past had left her crest fallen. Her confidence was knocked and right now, adrenaline was what she was running on.

_Stop walking for god sake….._ She thought bitterly as the traffic began to slow, the light turning amber but the few last minute cars still flying through. The moment it turned red, she was across the street and running once again, her left hand wrapped firmly around the order book she hadn't realised she still had. The street grew quiet, the other people on it going into shops or office blocks. With an old woman the only person left with them, she figured it was safe to call his name without it drawing attention to them.

"Kendall!"

Carlos was first to turn at the sound of his friends name. Looking over his shoulder, he spotted her moving around a group of women with strollers and that was when he sent his elbow into his friends ribs. All he earned was a frown in his direction until he nodded his head to the young girl walking up to them, slightly out of breath and her long hair covering her face.

"Avery?" the blonde asked as he watched her delicate fingers move between the strands of hair in her eyes and moving them on top of her head.

"I don't know what you guys want but my friend is a pain in the ass and I need to listen to her more." the smaller girl explained taking a second to breathe before continuing. "The last time I did something good happened so as long as you guys aren't gonna kill me or something weird like that, here."

Kendall watched with hopeful eyes as she pulled the pen out of her pocket and began writing something down on the order book. He watched the fluidity of her hand writing before looking up at her, catching her gaze as she held the slip of paper out. He took it with a gentle smile as she tore another piece of the light pink paper from the pad and handed it to Carlos.

"Annoy her as much you want. Her name's Kayla." Carlos grinned at the brunette girl in front of him and nodded, placing the paper in his front pocket and moving away slightly to let Kendall talk to her, grasping the message he was sending from the way he was looking at Avery.

"I guess I'll see you around," Avery said quietly, almost nervous for a reason unknown on her part. Confidence grew inside of her as the tall blonde sent her a reassuring smile.

"Most definitely," he told her with a nod. She felt the side of her mouth twitch up in a small file and nodded. Stuffing the pen and paper back into her pocket before turning on her heel and heading back to the cafe, knowing her mom would freak out if she knew she had left her station at such a busy time of the day. Avery let herself gaze over her shoulder just once and noticed Kendall watching her watch away. Green met blue as their eyes met for one last moment until she turned and continued back down the street.

"So!" Kayla exclaimed excitedly as she saw her friend return. "What happened?"

"I gave him my number," Avery told, now completely feeling unsure of the whole situation. If she ran fast enough she could probably snatch the bit paper back. Her thoughts were broken as she felt a tight pair of arms constrict around her, lifting her slightly into the air before popping her back on her feet, arms still in the way of her escaping the grip.

"You are finally trusting people again!" Kayla looked at Avery like a proud mom at her kids first sports day. Full of admiration and hope for what was about to happen. Avery simply shrugged her friend off and pulled the cafe door open. Before entering, she turned back to the nurse on the side walk and told her what she may have slipped Carlos.

"I gave Carlos your number," she said with a cheeky smile, waving her friend off. She shrugged through the glass as she saw Kayla's jaw drop before she closed the door behind her.

"You bitch!"

* * *

**A/N: Sorry I took so long to update. Work is getting busy in the run up to Christmas and I have a huge pile of paper sitting on my desk that hasn't even been touched. I hope you like the little insight to Kate and Avery when she was just a baby, a few more flashbacks will be included later on. Let me know what you think! See you in the next chapter. (:**


	5. Chapter 5

_"Avery James, I am not letting you quit. Not now, not ever." Katherine paced in front of her daughter, her hand resting on the small of her back as her bump bulged in its six month state. A blonde Avery sat on the couch watching her mom, her arms crossed defensively across her chest as she awaited her lecture to be over._

_"And you know that I mean it when I call you that. Your father agrees. You aren't giving up your dream because of a possibility. We don't know that this baby is going to be sick, we don't know that there will be problems. It's a possibility."_

_"There's still a chance, mom! You've been wanting another kid for as long as I can remember and the doctor says that she isn't forming as she should for a baby that far along. I was there remember when dad was in New York with Nana!" The teen argued her corner, watching her mom pause in the middle of the living room and turn to her defensive teenager. "And just because you didn't use Munroe, it doesn't scare me."_

_With a sigh, Katherine moved her hand from her back to the centre of her bump, feeling the small being inside shift. At her last doctors appointment, the doctor wasn't happy with the size of the baby and gave the possibility of some complications._

_"AJ, I'm the adult here and I know how my body works and if something happens your dad is here but you are not allowed to quit Rocque Records for me. Not after all your hard work, your determination to get this far. We moved to the other side of the country on a whim that Gustavo gave us and it worked and look how much better our life is. I can't let you stop when I see how happy it makes you."_

_"Mom, I've already told Gustavo." She replied quietly, her eyes moving to focus on the thread dangling from the sleeve of her sweater._

_"What?" her mom asked in disbelief, staring at her daughter wide eyed._

_"I told him yesterday that I want to make an announcement that I'm done. He yelled, called me blondie a few times then got Kelly to phone MTV. It's already over."_

_"Avery," the disappointment leaked within every letter as Katherine sat next to her daughter on the couch, lifting her chin with her fore finger and gazing into her daughters sad eyes._

_"Do you ever think its because I'm tired? I want to be a normal teenager and I know I don't have much of that time left. I want to help you and dad with the baby. I don't want to be on the other side of the world if something happens."_

_With a sad smile all Katherine could do was move her daughter into a close hug, caressing her blonde locks in comfort as the news sunk in for the two females._

* * *

A loud crash awoke Avery from her peaceful slumber, the memory erasing from her mind as she jerked awake. She couldn't help but groan as she knew it was Kayla returning from her shift at the hospital, something obviously having annoyed her. If the door slammed that was the initial sign.

In her double bed, she falls back into the covers and she scoots to one side, her head burrowed into the cold side of the pillow. Seconds pass and she feels the bed shift in weight and prepares herself.

"Why did you give him my number? He's so annoying! 13 times he texted me during this shift, 13! The majority of them being 'do you like corn dogs?'. I hate corn dogs, I'm vegetarian!"

"Sure," Avery muttered simply, her face still stuffed in the warm, soft pillow. She strained to keep her eyes open, to stay alert at 3am with her best friend ranting for the third time that week. It was always the same thing, that Carlos was annoying and she hated her for giving him her number. She could go on for hours that Kayla wouldn't even notice that Avery had fallen back into a deep slumber.

"Avery! Are you listening?"

* * *

It wasn't until two full months had passed that Avery noticed a complete difference in Kayla. She smiled more and it was genuine. Not the forced smile that Avery had grown to know. The 3am disturbances dwindled into non existence as Avery realised where Kayla decided to go after her late night shifts. Carlos would pick her up from the hospital and they'd go back to the Palm Woods, where the boys stayed and she'd sleep over. Even if it meant that they both curled up on the couch so Mrs Knight wouldn't bust Kayla for finding her asleep in the same bed as Carlos when she woke the boys up in the morning to go to the studio.

Two months turned into four and Avery, in an empty apartment, found herself picking up her old journal more often that usual. The peace of being able to write and having a dog as her only form of company made it feel like a second nature again to let her feelings flow onto the paper and turn them into songs. She couldn't say they were happy lyrics or lyrics that related to her but it was something to keep her going.

Feet up upon the wooden table in the middle of their shared living room, Avery let her hand stroke the dogs head that was resting on her lap as she read the most recent text sent from Kayla. Cobie was Kayla's dog, rescued when Kayla found him wandering the streets as a puppy behind the cafe one night a few years ago.

"Looks like its me and you tonight, Cobs" she said scratching the dogs floppy ears, it sighing in content as Avery threw her phone onto the cushion beside her. She noticed the flash of light that erupted from it, another message from Kayla.

Kendall's here was all it read and she simply ignored it. Just like he had done to her.

* * *

At that exact moment, at the hospital, Kayla shrugged towards Kendall with a sad half smile over the nurses station desk. She watched the blonde disappear down the corridor towards the younger Munroe's room before she turned back to Carlos who was sat in her usual seat, waiting for her shift to finish to take her out.

"Why didn't he just call her?" she asked, perching herself on his knee, his arms wrapping around her slim waist. His chin found her shoulder as he followed her gaze, his shoulders shrugging as Kendall walked into Keely's room.

"Hey pretty girl," Kendall announced with a smile as he walked into the room belonging to Keely, the little girl sat on her bed, a book in her lap as if she could actually read. Her ears perked up and she turned to the blonde as he sat at the end of her hospital bed, moving a stuffed animal that the boys had bought her so he could cross his long legs.

"Kendall! What are you doing here?" she was smiling as she pushed the book to the side of her, sitting up against the pillows.

"Dropping Carlos off, he has a date with Kayla. Thought I'd come and say hey" he told the smaller girl with a smile as he saw her face scrunch up.

"Carlos and Kayla are icky. They kiss all the time!" A low chuckle came from Kendall's throat at the statement and he let himself nod his head.

"That's why Carlos is here so much, he has cooties."

"No, he doesn't!" Keely said through giggles.

"He does, I promise." Kendall replied with a wide smile. "Kayla said you're getting to go home soon, you excited?"

Keely shrugged her small shoulders, looking down at her fingers. Kendall's eyebrows formed a frown, why wouldn't she be excited about getting to go home from this place.

"I don't get excited anymore. I get sick before I get to go home and they keep me here." She told him quietly, her eyes, identical to her sisters, moving back up to look at him. "I don't mind it here."

"Do you want to go home?" he asks cautiously, watching as she plays with the stray thread from the comforter. She takes a minute to answer, as if she doesn't know what it feels like to be at home. "Have you been home?"

"Only for a few hours. Mommy says that I was at my house when I little but I can't remember. I have a poster of you! and James and Logan and Carlos in my room there,"

Kendall smiles, it filled with sadness as he reaches out to take the little girls hand that he has grew fond of, stopping her actions with the thread. "You'll get home, pretty girl. This time, I promise."

"Will you come visit me?" she queries as she looks up at the blonde boy in front of her, hope in her young eyes.

"Obviously. I'll even bring James, Logan and Carlos."

"If he doesn't die of cooties!" Keely interrupts at the mention of the latino. A loud laugh erupts from his chest and his head falls backwards, the only thought running through his head was how much he cared for this little girl.

"If he doesn't die of cooties." He agrees bringing his head forward, his eyes falling on a picture above the younger girls head of her and her sister. Avery was younger and Keely was hardly able to keep herself on her own feet. She must have just leant to walk. Avery's hair was lighter and she had a tour merchandise sweater on, Rocque Records label proudly on the arm of the grey material.

"Can I ask you something about your sister?" he asked the small girl, his eyes fixated on those of Avery's staring back at him through the picture. He heard her mumble a quick 'mmhm' and took his chance. "Does she still sing?"

Kendal's eyes gazed down the young girl just in time to shake her head.

"Not really. She sings me to sleep when I can't sleep but she doesn't think she's good anymore." she explained, her eyes wide with confusion at her sisters decision. "She says she losted her voice and thats why she didn't phoned you! Cause you can sing and she can't."

Kendall couldn't help but frown at her statement before the door swung open, Kayla, poking her head in.

"Lights out kiddo," She said with a gentle smile. "Kendall, you gotta leave or I'll get fired."

Kendall nodded towards the brunette as he stood from his position on the bed. With a final hug, he wished Keely a goodnight before falling his two friends from the room. He followed Carlos and Kayla, always a few paces behind with his head hung low. What Keely had said to him had struck a nerve. He called her two days after she had given him her number and she hadn't answered. He left a message on her answering machine but heard nothing back and thought it strange considering how Carlos had been in touch with Kayla everyday.

One morning, he tagged along with Carlos to pick Kayla up for breakfast and found Avery had already left the apartment. He then went to the cafe and she wasn't there. Kayla had told him she had been sulking for whatever reason for the days previous to him searching her out. She told him to keep trying and she would try talking to her when she got home but nothing still.

"Hey, Kayla. Can I have your keys to the apartment?" Kendall asked as they walked onto the street, a few souls wandering the darkened pathway on their way home from work. Carlos turned to his friend with a confused expression, his brain having not caught up with the entire situation.

"Why?" Kayla asked suspiciously, digging in her purse for the silver keys that held the access to the apartment that Avery was sitting with Cobie.

"I'm gonna go talk to her." he said simply, catching the keyring as the smaller girl threw them. Kayla watched as he turned harshly on his heel and began jogging in the way of her apartment.

"He's lost his mind." Carlos commented, his arm snaking around Kayla's waist one more.

"If Avery doesn't kill him, Cobie will."

* * *

**You guys have no idea how many times I've had to rewrite this and how many times I've considered just deleting this story. I really do suck at writing. This chapter is pretty short but the next one is obviously gonna be fun with Avery and Kendall finally talking and the reason she's been sulking. Let me know if you want me to even continue this, I'm all up for stopping here if nobody is reading.**


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